Rear latch arrangement for sliding drawer

ABSTRACT

A cable management panel including a chassis, a drawer, and a rear latch arrangement. The rear latch arrangement including a latch having a free tab end. The free tab end engaging the front edge of a top wall of the chassis to prevent inadvertent closing movement of the drawer relative to the chassis.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional ApplicationSerial No. 61/072,148, filed Mar.28, 2008; which application isincorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This disclosure relates generally to methods and devices for managementof telecommunication cables. More particularly, this disclosure relatesto a cable management panel having a drawer for managing fiber opticcables.

BACKGROUND

Cable management arrangements for cable termination, splice, and storagecome in many forms. One cable management arrangement used in thetelecommunications industry today includes sliding drawers installed ontelecommunication equipment racks. The drawers organize and managehigh-density cable terminations, cable splicing, and cable storage.

As can be understood, access to the interior of drawers is needed forpurposes of cable and component installation, repair, and maintenance.Often times during such procedures, the drawers can inadvertently closeor move rearward causing damage to unsecured cables and/or components.There is a continued need in the art for providing drawer arrangementsthat accommodate and ease the procedures associated with accessing thedrawer interior during such installation, repair, and maintenance.

SUMMARY

One aspect of the present invention relates to a cable management panelhaving a chassis, a sliding drawer, and a rear latch arrangement. Therear latch arrangement includes a latch having a free tab end. The freetab end engages a top wall of the chassis to prevent inadvertent closingmovement of the drawer relative to the chassis.

A variety of examples of desirable product features or methods are setforth in part in the description that follows, and in part will beapparent from the description, or may be learned by practicing variousaspects of the disclosure. The aspects of the disclosure may relate toindividual features as well as combinations of features, includingcombinations of features disclosed in separate embodiments. It is to beunderstood that both the foregoing general description and the followingdetailed description are explanatory only, and are not restrictive ofthe claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of one embodiment of a cablemanagement panel according to the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cable management panel ofFIG. 1, illustrating an embodiment of a rear latch arrangement in apartially exploded view;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a latch of the rear latch arrangement ofFIG. 2, shown in isolation;

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of another embodiment of a cablemanagement panel according to the principles of the present disclosure;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the cable management panel ofFIG. 4, illustrating another embodiment of a rear latch arrangement in apartially exploded view; and

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of the rear latch arrangement of thecable management panel of FIG. 5, illustrating the rear latcharrangement in a non-exploded view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference will now be made in detail to various features of the presentdisclosure that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Whereverpossible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout thedrawings to refer to the same or like parts.

Referring to FIG. 1, one embodiment of a cable management module orpanel 10 according to the present invention is illustrated. The cablemanagement panel 10 includes a frame or chassis 12 having mountingbrackets 14. Further details of an example mounting bracket arrangementthat can be used in accordance with the principles disclosed isdescribed in U.S. Publication No. 2005/0025444, the disclosure of whichis hereby incorporated by reference. The mounting brackets 14 are usedto mount the panel 10 to a telecommunication structure, such as atelecommunications rack, cabinet or other enclosure or framework.

Referring still to FIG. 1, the chassis 12 of the cable management panel10 has a front 16, opposite sides 18, and a rear 20. The sides 18include sidewalls 19 each having cable access openings 22 for cablesentering or exiting the chassis 12. A top wall 23 of the chassis extendsbetween the sidewalls 19 of the chassis 12.

The cable management panel 10 further includes a drawer 26 having aninterior region 24. The drawer 26 slides relative to the chassis 12 byway of a drawer slide assembly 28 located at each side 18 of the chassis12. Further details of slide assemblies that can be used in the presentcable management panel are described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,171,099 and U.S.application Ser. No. 11/543,457; which disclosures are incorporatedherein by reference. In a closed position, the contents of the interiorregion 24 of the drawer 26 are enclosed and protected. In an openedposition, the interior region 24 can be accessed for cable or componentinstallation, maintenance, or repair.

The drawer 26 of the cable management panel 10 has a front 33, a rear34, a base 36, and sides 38, 39. In the illustrated embodiment, the rear34 of the drawer 26 is open. Likewise, the sides 38, 39 of the drawer 26are open. The open rear and open sides allow for cable entry into andcable exit from the interior region 24 of the drawer 26. Radius limiters25 are provided at the open sides 38, 39 of the drawer for managing theexiting and entering cables the sides during sliding movement of thedrawer 26. The radius limiters 25 also protect the cables from damage bylimiting cable bending beyond a minimum bend radius. Further details ofexample radius limiters and radius limiter assemblies that can be usedin the present cable management panel are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.6,438,310; 6,504,988; and 7,079,744; the disclosures of which are eachincorporated herein by reference.

The cable management panel 10 can contain a variety of cable managementelements. The cable management elements can be mounted to the base 36 ofthe drawer 26, or mounted on a tray or insert that drops into theinterior region 24 of the drawer. Further details of an example drop-intray that can be used in the present cable management panel 10 aredescribed in U.S. Publication No. 2007/0031099; which is incorporatedherein by reference.

The variety of cable management elements that the cable management panel10 may contain include cable retainers (e.g., 64), splice trays (e.g.,66, FIG. 4), and adapter or connector holders to which fiber opticcables are terminated. Examples of other cable management elementsinclude other constructions, assemblies, and devices for storing cablesor connecting the cables to other cables; and/or other fiber opticdevices, such as attenuators, couplers, switches, wave divisionmultiplexers (WDMs), and splitters/combiners. The U.S. patents andapplications previously incorporated herein by reference describeexamples of cable management elements and arrangements that can beprovided within the interior region 24 of the drawer 26. As can beunderstood, the drawer 26 can be customized to include numerous forms ofcable management elements to accommodate the particular needs of theuser.

Referring still to FIG. 1, the present cable management panel 10includes a front latch arrangement 30 and a rear latch arrangement 40(e.g., locking arrangements). The front latch or locking arrangement 30includes a front latch 31 located at the front 33 of the drawer adjacentto each one of the sides 38, 39 of the drawer 26. In the closedposition, each latch 31 engages a side hole 32 located at the side 18 ofthe chassis 12 to secure the drawer 26 in the closed position.

Referring now to FIG. 2, the rear latch or locking arrangement 40 islocated at the rear 34 of the drawer 26 on one of the sides 38, 39 ofthe drawer. While the illustrated embodiment depicts the drawer havingonly a single rear latch arrangement, rear latch arrangements can beprovided at each of the sides of the drawer.

The rear latch arrangement 40 is designed to prevent inadvertent closingmovement of the drawer 26 relative to the chassis 12. What is meant byclosing movement is movement of the drawer in a rearward direction fromthe open position toward the closed position. It is noted that thedrawer 26 can move beyond the open position to an extended open positionin a forward direction. The user may move the drawer rearward from theextended open position to the open position; this rearward movement isnot the closing movement that the rear latch arrangement prevents.Rather, the closing movement is movement of the drawer in a rearwarddirection from the open position toward the closed position, which cancause damage to cables and components when such movement inadvertentlyoccurs during installation, repairs or maintenance.

In particular, during installation, repair or maintenance procedures,the user or technician, for example, routes cables into and out from thedrawer, and/or internally routes cables to and from components containedwithin the drawer. Often times, the cables or components are pulled orpushed, forcing the drawer in a rearward direction. Closing movement ofthe drawer in the rearward direction can cause damage to cables and/orcomponents not yet completely routed or secured. The presently disclosedrear latch arrangement 40 prevents the drawer 26 from closing andeliminates the occurrence of cable damage and/or component damage due toinadvertent closing movement.

Referring still to FIG. 2, the rear latch arrangement 40 generallyincludes a rear latch 42 and a mounting block 44. The mounting block 44is mounted on one of the open sides (e.g., 39) of the drawer 26. Theopen sides 38, 39 of the drawer 26 are defined by generally horizontalplates 48, 49. Each plate 48, 49 has mounting holes 46 that correspondto through holes 50 formed in the mounting block 44, which in turncorrespond to through holes 51 formed in the rear latch 42. Fasteners(not shown) secure the rear latch 42 to the block 44 and to the openside of the drawer 26.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the rear latch 42 has a mounting tab end52 and an opposite free tab end 54. The mounting tab end 52 and the freetab end 54 are interconnected by a flexible arm 56. The mounting tab end52 is mounted to the mounting block 44; that is, the mounting tab enddefines the through holes 51 that receive the fasteners to secure therear latch 42 relative to the mounting block 44 and to the drawer 26.When the rear latch arrangement 40 is mounted to the drawer, the rearlatch 42 extends generally rearward; i.e., the free tab end 54 of therear latch 42 is located rearward of the mounting tab end 52. In theillustrated embodiment, the free tab end 54 is offset from the mountingtab end 52 by the flexible arm 56. The offset configuration provides forclearance of notches 68 (FIG. 1) located at the rear 20 of the chassiswhen the drawer is in the closed position.

Referring now to FIGS. 4-6, another cable management panel 110 having asecond embodiment of a rear latch arrangement 140 is illustrated. Thecable management panel 110 includes a chassis 112 and a sliding drawer126. Similar to the first embodiment of the rear latch arrangement, thesecond rear latch arrangement 140 generally includes a rear latch 142(FIG. 5) and a mounting block 144. The rear latch 142 has a mounting tabend 152 and a free tab end 154 interconnected by a flexible arm 156. Therear latch 142 mounts to the mounting block 144, which in turn mounts toone of the sides of the drawer 126. With the exception of the generalshape configurations of the block 144 and the latch 142, the second rearlatch arrangement of FIGS. 4-6 functions in the same manner as the firstembodiment. Accordingly, the remainder of the present disclosuregenerally refers only to the first embodiment but applies as well to thesecond embodiment.

Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, as can be understood, when the drawer is inthe closed position, the free tab end 54 of the rear latch 42 ispositioned underneath the top wall 23 of the chassis 12. In particular,the free tab end 54 is biased in a direction toward the base 36 of thedrawer by the top wall 23 (i.e., biased downward toward the horizontalplate 49 of the drawer). The flexible arm 56 of the rear latchfacilitates this downward bias or flexure. As the drawer 26 slides fromthe closed position to the open position, the free tab end 54 slidesalong the interior surface of the top wall 23 of the chassis 12.

Referring to FIG. 1, when the drawer reaches the open position, theflexible arm 56 of the rear latch 42 returns to an unbiased or normalstate to automatically lock the drawer 26 in the open position. What ismeant by “automatically” is that the rear latch 42 moves from anunlocking position (i.e., the position at which the free tab end 54 islocated under the top wall 23 of the chassis) to a locking positionwithout a technician having to manually move or manipulate the rearlatch arrangement 40. In particular, the free tab end 54 snaps into thelocking position for engagement with a front edge 58 of the top wall 23of the chassis. In this locking position, the free tab end 54 engagesthe front edge 58 of the top wall 23 to prevent inadvertent closingmovement of the drawer 26. (See also FIG. 6 illustrating the free tabend 154 of rear latch 142 engaging front edge 158 of the top wall 123.)Referring back to FIG. 1, the rear latch arrangement, including themounting block 44 and the rear latch 42, selectively mounts to both ofeither one of the sides 38, 39 of the drawer 26. What is meant by“selectively mounts” is that the rear latch arrangement is constructedto operably mount at whichever drawer side the user desires; e.g., therear latch arrangement 40 operably mounts at one side 38 of the drawer,and operably mounts at the other side 39 of the drawer. In eitherconfiguration (left-side mount or right-side mount), the rear latcharrangement functions in the same manner such that inadvertent closingmovement is prevented.

The selective mounting feature of the rear latch arrangement 40 isprovided in part by the symmetrical construction of the mounting block44 (FIG. 2). The symmetrical construction permits the mounting block tomount at the mounting holes 46 provided at the right side 39 of thedrawer or at mounting holes (not shown) provided at the left side 38 ofthe drawer. When that rear latch arrangement is mounted at the rightside 39 of the drawer 26, a first side 60 of the rear latch faces upwardtoward the top wall 23 of the chassis. When the rear latch arrangement40 is mounted at the left side 38 of the drawer 26, the first side 60 ofthe rear latch faces downward toward the horizontal plate 48 of thedrawer.

Referring again to FIG. 3, in this illustrated embodiment, the free tabend 54 of the rear latch 42 defines a notched edge 62 (e.g., a groove orinverted chamfer formed in the engaging edge of the end 54). The notchededge 62 centers and/or captures the front edge 58 of the top wall 23 ofthe chassis 12 to ensure engagement that prevents the inadvertentclosing movement.

In use, such as during maintenance of the drawer, the user slides thedrawer 26 out from the chassis 12 toward the open position. As thedrawer slides out, the biased rear latch 42 slides along the interiorside of the top wall 23 of the chassis 12. When the drawer reaches theopen position, the rear latch 42 is released from beneath the top wall23 and snaps into position for engagement with the front edge 58 of thetop wall. With the drawer locked in the open position, the user canaccess the interior region 24 of the drawer 26 without concern ofinadvertent closing movement that can cause damage to cables andcomponents.

To unlock and close the drawer, the user flexes the free tab end 54 ofthe rear latch 42 under the top wall 23 of the chassis and slides thedrawer 26 to the closed position. In the first rear latch arrangement ofFIGS. 1-3, the front edge 58 of the top wall 23 may be centered and/orcaptured within the notched edge 62 of the free tab end 54. The user cansimply pull the drawer 26 further forward of the open position (i.e., tothe extended open position) and release the front edge 58 of the topwall 23. The rear latch 42 can then be flexed under the top wall of thechassis and the drawer closed.

In some conventional arrangements, the physical locking engagement of alocking device is hidden from view. Because of the number of componentson a drawer, it is not always easy to determine the location of thelocking device. As shown in FIG. 1, the engagement between the free tabend 54 of the rear latch 42 and the top wall 23 of the chassis 12 isvisible to the user. The user therefore can readily determine whatmechanism is preventing the closing movement of the drawer, and canaccordingly more quickly determine how to unlock the drawer.

The above specification provides a complete description of theinvention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention, certain aspects ofthe invention reside in the claims hereinafter appended.

1. A cable management panel, comprising: a) a chassis having a top wallthat extends between opposite side walls; b) a drawer mounted to thechassis, the drawer being configured to slide between an open positionand a closed position relative to the chassis, the drawer having afront, a rear, and opposite sides; and c) a locking arrangement thatprevents inadvertent closing movement of the drawer relative to thechassis, the locking arrangement including a rear latch located at oneof the sides of the drawer, the rear latch having a free tab end thatengages a front edge of the top wall of the chassis when the drawerreaches the open position.
 2. The panel of claim 1, wherein the free tabend of the rear latch is biased toward the base of the drawer by the topwall when the drawer is in the closed position.
 3. The panel of claim 1,wherein the free tab end of the rear latch snaps into position forengagement with the front edge of the top wall when the drawer reachesthe open position.
 4. The panel of claim 1, wherein the lockingarrangement includes a mounting block mounted on the one side of thedrawer, the rear latch being mounted to the mounting block.
 5. The panelof claim 4, wherein the rear latch has a mounting tab end opposite thefree tab end, the mounting tab end being secured to the mounting block,the rear latch further including a flexible arm extending between themounting tab end and the free tab end.
 6. The panel of claim 5, whereinthe free tab end is located rearward of the mounting tab end, relativeto the front and rear of the drawer.
 7. The panel of claim 5, whereinthe free tab end is offset from the mounting tab end by the flexiblearm.
 8. The panel of claim 4, wherein the locking arrangement, includingthe mounting block and the rear latch, selectively mounts to the oneside of the drawer and can also selectively mount to the other side ofthe drawer.
 9. The panel of claim 8, wherein the mounting block issymmetrically constructed.
 10. The panel of claim 9, wherein the latchis mounted with a first side up when mounted to the drawer at the oneside, and is mounted with the first side down when mounted to the drawerat the other side.
 11. The panel of claim 1, wherein the free tab end ofthe rear latch defines a notched edge that captures the edge of the topwall of the chassis.
 12. The panel of claim 1, wherein the engagementbetween the free tab end of the rear latch and the top wall of thechassis is visible to the user when the drawer is locked in the openposition.
 13. A method of locking and unlocking a cable managementpanel, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a drawer mountedto a chassis, the drawer including a locking arrangement that preventsinadvertent closing movement of the drawer; b) sliding the drawer from aclosed position toward an open position relative to the chassis; c)locking the drawer in the open position wherein a rear latch of thelocking arrangement engages a front edge of a top wall of the chassis toprevent the inadvertent closing movement of the drawer; d) accessing aninterior region of the drawer; e) flexing a free tab end of the rearlatch under the top wall of the chassis; and f) sliding the drawer fromthe open position to the closed position.
 14. The method of claim 13,wherein the step of locking the drawer in the open position includesreleasing the free tab end of the rear latch from beneath the top wallduring sliding opening movement of the drawer, the rear latch snappinginto position for engagement with the front edge of the top wall uponreaching the open position.
 15. The method of claim 13, wherein the stepof locking the drawer in the open position includes capturing the frontedge of the top wall of the chassis within a notched edge of the freetab end of the rear latch.
 16. The method of claim 15, further includingcentering the front edge of the top wall of the chassis within thenotched edge of the free tab end of the rear latch.
 17. The method ofclaim 15, further including pulling the drawer forward of the openposition so that the rear latch releases the front edge of the top wallof the chassis before flexing the free tab end of the rear latch underthe top wall.
 18. A method of assembling a cable management panel, themethod comprising the steps of: a) providing a drawer slidably mountedto a chassis; and b) selectively mounting a locking arrangement at oneof a first side and a second side of the drawer, including positioning afree tab end of a rear latch relative to a front edge of a top wall ofthe chassis such that the free tab end engages the front edge to preventinadvertent closing movement of the drawer during use of the cablemanagement panel.
 19. The method of claim 18, further including flexingthe free tab end of the rear latch under the top wall of the chassis andsliding the drawer from an open position to a closed position.
 20. Themethod of claim 18, wherein the step of selectively mounting the lockingarrangement at the one side of the drawer includes mounting the lockingarrangement so that the engagement between the free tab end of the rearlatch and the top wall of the chassis is visible to the user when thedrawer is locked in the open position.